Seoul Street: Best Fried Chicken in Ann Arbor?

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While I’m a former vegan who usually prefers lighter fare to heavier food, I can still say with confidence that there is something truly amazing about fried chicken. And while Ann Arbor offers a variety of great eats, there aren’t many places in town known for serving up good fried chicken. So when I first heard about Seoul Street, a Korean Restaurant that claims to have the “Best Fried Chicken in Ann Arbor,” I had to check it out.

Located on Plymouth Road near north campus, Seoul Street is tucked into the back corner of a building that houses four different restaurants and a small apartment complex. The dining area inside the restaurant is pretty small, with just three tables that seat roughly two to four people each.

Photo by Brooke Gabriel

I went just to try the fried chicken – I’m saving the other tantalizing dishes like Kimbop Rolls with Bulgogi and Kimchee Fries for my next visit – and ordered the Medium Combo, which is four drumsticks and four wings, half with their Hot & Spicy Glaze and half with their Soy Garlic Glaze. Let me warn you: don’t be shocked when the person at the cash register informs you that it’s going to be 35 to 40 minutes. Every batch of chicken is made fresh to order, which means it takes morethan little while to make. But let’s be real, if the chicken is as good as they claim, a 40-minute wait is a small price to pay.

So, was it? When our chicken arrived to the table (35 minutes after we ordered, as promised), the sweet, fried scent was already enough to make my stomach growl with anticipation. I barely noticed the white cardboard box with the two glaze options until after the meal, a no-frills approach that emphasizes the restaurant’s “to-go”-centric attitude. And speaking of that meal… I was not disappointed. The fried chicken’s skin formed a crisp, flakey shell around tender, moist meat. Both glaze options were so sweet and sticky I was practically obligated to lick the remnants off my fingers. I preferred the Soy Garlic glaze, rich with savory umami flavors and garlicky notes, but the Hot & Spicy would be killer for more hardcore spicy-food lovers. Think medium-to-hot level of heat; I say hot, but my boyfriend insisted it was closer to medium. Fine.

All that said, I have zero doubt Seoul Street serves Ann Arbor’s best fried chicken. I considered sending over an award certificate, but for now, its addition to my list of common, comfort-food cravings will have to do.